Dedicated to the Preservation and Restoration of the Whole of Creation: Humans - Animals - Environment
"And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.
And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31)

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Table of Contents

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 01)
Twenty-two years ago (1980), when we first moved into
our new home, we had a flowering dogwood growing on the edge of the woods at the
end of our driveway. It was one of the Spring joys we looked forward to
each year. Unfortunately, it died of a disease that seemed to wipe out
most of the dogwoods in our area. This year, we have begun to see them
again at Sleepy Hollow Lake. This one was growing in the park across the
road from our home.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 06)
The flowering dogwood is found throughout the Eastern
United States. It can grow to heights of thirty-five feet and spread its
lanky branches twenty five feet.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 03)
The flowers of the flowering dogwood grow at the end of
branches. Though we could not find any reference in the literature, it
appears that the flowers only grow at the end of new-growth branches, as shown
in this photograph. The flower buds open at the same time that the leaves
begin to develop.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 04)
The flower of the flowering dogwood is the small green
cluster in the center of the four bracts, which appear to be the flower's
petals. Bracts are the protective covering of the buds. They open and fold
away when the flower blooms. Some of the bracts have pink tips, as can be
seen in this picture.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 07)
In this enlarged photo, the detail of the bracts and
central flower cluster are more evident. The length of each bract is about
one inch. The somewhat distorted center on the outer edge of each bract is
where they grew together at the tip of the bud and tore apart as the bud opened.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 08)
This is another enlargement of the flowering dogwood
bloom. We consider their return this year to be one of God's many
blessings. Every time we destroy a portion of our environment, kill or
harm an animal or human, we lose a blessing; and in the process, we harden our
hearts to recognizing many of the blessings that remain.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 12)
This is another close up look at the cluster of buds and
flowers of the the flowering dogwood. In the center, we can see one of the
buds beginning to split before opening. In the lower right, the anthers at
the tips of the four stamens are clearly visible.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 13)
The light and shadow gives an interesting contrast to
the flowering dogwood flower cluster. The actual size of this entire
cluster is less than 1/2 inch across. In the flower in the upper left, we
get a good look at the pistil.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 14)
We had been watching carefully one particular flowering
dogwood tree for every change that occurred within the reach of our camera, so
that we could take another photo for this series.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 17)
This is another bee's eye view of part of one of the 1/2
inch flowering dogwood's flower clusters. Every time we see these
beautiful tiny flowers, we marvel at the enormous detail in the whole of God's creation.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 19)
As you have probably guessed by now, we have been
utterly fascinated with the tiny flowers of the flowering dogwood. A fully
open flower is only about 1/8 inch across.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 20)
After all the close-ups, we decided to step back a
moment and look at the overall picture. Each of the blooms has its own
flowers opening. The full size photo is approximately actual size.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 20a)
This full size photo of the flowering dogwood bloom is
about four times the actual size. It helps put into perspective how
tiny the flowers in the center cluster really are.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 26)
Our hope and prayer in publishing this photo journal on
the flowering dogwood is that it would give all of us greater appreciation for
this tree and the whole of creation. If we can learn to care for one tiny
piece of God's creation, we can learn to expand our sphere of unconditional love
and compassion to every plant, to every animal, and to every other human being.
And when we learn to do this, we will truly have peace on earth.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 37)
While on one of our walks, we spotted this flowering
dogwood. The deeper coloration of the bracts attracted our attention,
because they had a yellow tint with larger purplish colored tips.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 38a)
In this close up photo of a flowering dogwood bloom, we
can see the way the flower buds are beginning to swell and lengthen. We
also have a closer look at the tip of one of the bracts.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 42)
The flowering dogwood wave their whitish bracts in the
spring breeze, as if announcing that the woodland trees are beginning to sprout
their leaves and flowers.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 42a)
We considering the beautiful contract of the bright
flowering dogwood blooms against the background of the dark trees and blue sky
to be one of God's blessings.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 49a)
In this photo, we get a closer look at the flowering
dogwood with what we believe is next year's bud at the end of the branch with
the red leaves highlighting it from below.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 51)
This is another look at the beautiful fall colors of the
flowering dogwood's leaves with the remains of this year's flower seeds along
one of with next year's buds.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 57a) This photo of the
flowering dogwood's buds and flowers was taken in Ocala, FL by Ron Pagano, who
sent it to us on 7 Mar 2011. Thank you, Ron. We cropped the photo to present this close-up view.

(Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - 60a) This photo of the
flowering dogwood's buds and flowers was taken in Ocala, FL by Ron Pagano, who
sent it to us on 7 Mar 2011. Thank you, Ron. We cropped the photo to present this close-up view.

Presented here are just a few of the countless components of God's creation.
Just as we cannot have human and animal life without water and plants, neither
can we have lasting peace without love and compassion. It is our hope and
prayer that this series will motivate people to live and act in a cruelty-free
manner; that we would no longer hurt or destroy each other, the animals or our
environment.

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